China has reaffirmed its commitment to support Namibia’s efforts in developing a skilled workforce to drive growth across its expanding industries, including oil, gas, and green hydrogen.
Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, Zhao Weiping, said Namibia’s industrial ambitions —particularly in energy and agriculture —require a workforce equipped with specialized skills, and that China is eager to deepen its training cooperation to meet this demand.
“Given Namibia’s industrialization goals, it’s essential that we intensify our training cooperation,” Zhao said.
“Namibia is in great need of a skilled workforce across various sectors as the country pursues its industrialization and agricultural modernization programs, alongside major projects in oil, gas, and green hydrogen.”
To formalize this collaboration, Zhao highlighted that the two nations are advancing discussions on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in technical and vocational education. The MoU would enhance partnerships between educational institutions, facilitating expertise exchange and targeted skills development to support Namibia’s workforce goals.
“Our two sides are discussing an MoU on technical and vocational education and training (TVET) cooperation,” Zhao said. “We hope to conclude discussions and sign the agreement soon, strengthening knowledge exchange in fields critical to Namibia’s development.”
Currently, China offers Namibians a range of educational opportunities through multilateral and bilateral training programs. Zhao expressed hope to increase the number of Namibia-specific bilateral programs, tailored to address the country’s unique workforce needs, and suggested that more of these programs be conducted within Namibia itself.
“Hosting programs locally would allow more Namibians to benefit from this cooperation,” he added.
Zhao also pointed out that China’s commitment to training programs in Namibia is part of its broader dedication to human capital development across the Global South, especially in Africa.
At the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged 60,000 training opportunities across Africa, focusing on empowering women and youth.
As Namibia seeks to build its workforce to support its growing energy and industrial sectors, China’s training initiatives promise to play a pivotal role in helping the country achieve its ambitious development goals.
Through deepened cooperation, both nations aim to create sustainable pathways for economic progress and workforce empowerment.
